MEMPHIS, Tenn. — American Residential Services (ARS) donated 2650 clothing items to Dress for Success® due to a generous donation from ARS employee Frank Lamitina and his wife Marina.

Marina Lamitina discovered she had stage four Lymphoma cancer while she and Frank Lamitina were living in Florida, where she owned a clothing boutique called Queen Grace. When the couple relocated to New Jersey, so that she could receive treatment, they put her store’s retail into storage. Shortly after, Frank Lamitina took a position at A.J. Perri, an ARS network provider in New Jersey. When ARS held a dress drive, Frank knew what to do with all of their stored merchandise. He and his wife turned over the garments to the ARS corporate office, which facilitated the donation to Dress for Success.

Dress for Success affiliates in the following areas received merchandise from the donation: Fort Myers, Florida; Lantana, Florida; Winter Park, Florida; Miami, Florida; Tampa, Florida; and Jersey City, New Jersey. The garments include wrap dresses and women’s separates that range in size and are work-appropriate. The donation retail value is approximately $285,000 worth of merchandise.

“ARS is passionate about giving back to the community, and we are honored to assist women in empowering themselves professionally,” says Chris Mellon, senior vice president and CMO of ARS/Rescue Rooter. “We are also fortunate to have people like the Lamitinas in our ARS family who are committed to serving others.”